How 3 real-life Grinches are stealing America
- posted by Elmo on 2000-11-29 00:00:00
Greetings,
The first thing you guys will probably notice is that this week's subject has absolutely NOTHING to do with the election. That may be a tad misleading. I realize that most people are already sick of this election that never ends. But comedian Jim Carrey was on the "Today Show" this week promoting his new Grinch movie, and remarked that he didn't think the networks were giving the Florida recounts enough coverage. So this little tidbit is for you, Jim. I subscribe to several underground news lists, and I also have a number of uncensored news sites that I frequent on the net. Those are my primary sources for current events, and insight into what is REALLY going on in the world. It is extremely rare, but every now and then even the major networks surprise me with halfway intelligent commentary. This is one instance, where CBS news ripped Al Gore a new one for his blatant hypocrisy in this election that never ends. It is very well written--I couldn't have put it better myself. Imagine that, someone writing a great commentary and actually getting paid for it--what's a concept!!!
Speaking of "The Grinch", I saw it last week like millions of other people. Jim Carrey was funny as always, but I still prefer the classic cartoon to this new version. That was probably my favorite Christmas cartoon when I was a kid. Being a loner myself, I could always relate to the Grinch character. And the story has such a great message about the absurd consumerism that has all but smothered the true meaning of Christmas. I always found myself teary-eyed at the end, when even after the Grinch had stolen all of their presents, their decorations, and their food, all of the Who's in Whoville still managed to sing their hearts out and fill the land with Christmas joy. That's when the Grinch realized that perhaps "Christmas meant just a little bit more" than the shallow consumerism that has only been increasingly pushed on us since Dr. Seuss wrote that story back in 1957. The most ironic thing is just how commercial this new movie is, considering the anti-commercial theme. Carrey alone cost them $20 million, and then the elaborate special effects and over-the-top sets and costumes lent to a whopping $120 million dollar production cost. Of course, it probably made most of that back its first week at the box office.
I don't mind people trying to make an honest living, but the constant consumerism we are bombarded with on a continual basis really grates on my nerves after a while. It's as if you aren't a good citizen unless you're out blowing all your money on useless junk. Nothing is reasonably priced anymore. Me and Chris went to see Creed last night. What a killer concert! Finger Eleven and Sevendust opened for them. It was easily one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Creed aren't just an extremely talented band, they also have a great positive message they are putting out for today's youth. But despite all of that, there is NO reason why those tickets should have been $40 a piece! Ticketmaster is just gouging people!!! And there is ABSOLUTELY NO reason why beer should have cost $7.50 a glass there. At least they won't have to worry about anyone getting drunk in there--not at those prices. And thirty-five dollars for a stinking t-shirt? Are they out of their minds?
But it is astounding. They call it "supply and demand", but I can't believe the sheople keep paying ever increasing prices for products that continue to decline in quality. Eaten fast food lately? I am finding it increasingly difficult to find a fast food establishment whose food doesn't turn my stomach. But I can't afford to eat at nice restaurants all the time. What is up with the restaurant business anyway? You guys charge $12 for a single freakin' plate, yet you pay your waiters and waitresses less than $2.00 an hour so your customers are made to feel guilty if they don't spring for an extra 15 percent or so for a tip. And this is just accepted by most people? I hate to say it, but that is a prime example of why we have a minimum wage law, and why it needs to be enforced across the board. Tipping is supposed to be a reward for extraordinary service, not something I feel obliged to do even for bad waiters because it is "expected".
How about gas prices? Now there's a source of outrage that never ceases. Did you guys know that, despite OPEC's price hikes, if it wasn't for hidden government taxes on gas it would still be under a dollar a gallon? Some of the more courageous gas stations actually post the amount of tax you're paying, so you won't take out your frustration on them. Find one and do the math. At least I take some comfort in the fact that the ridiculous prices are fueling the alternative energy movement like never before.
And how about the computer industry? "Work faster, work better", just so long as you shell out a few hundred bucks more to upgrade your computer every time we come up with a new version of our software. Sure we fixed some of the bugs, but we added plenty of new ones for your enjoyment. And now we offer a new low upgrade price of $599.99 per CD, for registered users of our previous version. Just make sure you click "accept" on the licensing agreement when you install it. We wouldn't want you typing up a letter or sending an email without a license, now would we? By the way, did you guys know that computing technology has already been developed that is easily 10 years beyond what we are using now, but is being held back so they can squeeze every dime out of us they can for the current junk on the market. Don't you just love mercantilism?
Corporate greed has even taken something that was once the greatest bastion of freedom ever to benefit mankind--the Internet--and is slowly turning the whole thing into just another shopping mall. I read an article this week about how a lot of web sites that have provided free services in the past were now considering charging surfers for their services. Napster has been forced into it by the recording industry, but a lot of others are wanting to follow the lead. They feel it won't reduce their patronage significantly. Well, I can personally tell them all about at least one less patron they'll have when they go to their new model. My money comes too hard to waste it on junk I don't need, like their services. And then you have the idiots in the government who are determined to find some way to tax the internet. I have to give Bill Clinton a slight nod for his uncharacteristic aid in putting the brakes on it a few years ago when they first started talking about it--but the tax man is back again trying to find one more way of separating us peasants from our pocketbooks. So much for e-business. I guarantee that the only reason people buy things online and are willing to pay the extra costs for shipping is because that cost is offset by the fact that they don't have to pay sales tax. Here is Elmo's prediction, and you can take it to the bank--you start taxing e-commerce, and you're going to see it go out of style faster than the Rubix cube.
But Consumerism and Uncle Sam are only two of the real-life grinches that have been stealing us blind. The third is a far more diabolical grinch, that does a pretty thorough job of destroying anyone who dares speak out against him. He is called "Political Correction", but he is also known by some as the "Thought Police" and the "New American NAZI".
He has pulled off some pretty amazing heists in the past few years. He has stolen freedom of speech from virtually everyone. Not even professional athletes like John Rocker, usually worshipped like gods in our backwards society, are safe from his destructive powers. He has stolen the collective right of all men to assemble into organizations of their own sex. Even college fraternities are being forced to initiate women, in absurd disregard of every principle they were founded upon. Women are being trained right along side men in the military, except their physical requirements are much lower than the standards the men have to reach. And despite the loss of morale that double standard brings about, woe be it to any man who dares speak out about it. Mr. PC has no respect at all for history or tradition. Look what he did to the Citadel. And he rewrites history on a daily basis--the pigs in George Orwell's "Animal Farm" have nothing on this slick grinch.
I am not racist. I have never been racist. I mentioned in an earlier rant that I abhor racism of every type and I stand by it 100%. But old Mr. PC, through his amazing gift of twisting logic upside down and bullying the sheople into accepting it, would have you believe I am a racist for my next comments: Racial quotas are inherently racist, as is most of what they euphemistically call "affirmative action". And, if there are going to be black-only and Hispanic-only clubs, white people should be allowed that same option as well. If not, then there should be one standard, across the board. I think beauty contests are sexist to begin with, but if there is going to be a "Miss Black America", there darn well oughtta be a "Miss White America" as well. Or better yet, how about one "Miss America" for the whole country? After all, we are supposed to be "One Nation". I have a truly radical idea--why don't we all drop the proper adjectives from our classifications and just be "Americans" for once? As some of you may have gathered, I have a real low tolerance for hypocrisy.
Forget Jim Carrey's Grinch--the politically correct grinch has been stealing Christmas for years now. First he stole it from the military with Clinton's executive order forbidding religious-themed cards from being exchanged among servicemen. He also discouraged the use of the word "Christmas" entirely, preferring the neutral phrase "holidays". He has been stealing it from communities, with court rulings prohibiting Nativity scenes and other religious Christmas decorations from display in front of public buildings. He has even been stealing it from blue and white collar Americans who work for a living. Christian-themed cards are being discouraged and/or prohibited there as well, and more and more people are being forced to work on this most sacred of American holidays even though there is no justifiable reason for the business to even be open that day. How many widgets do you really think you are going to sell on Christmas day? Oh, I forget, we're in a GLOBAL economy now!! I'm sure the Chinese, belonging to an atheist commie society like Mr. PC is trying to turn us into, still buy widgets on Christmas day.
And now, to add insult to injury, he is trying to steal Christmas from those who love it the most, the children. Schools are increasingly dumping their Christmas trees and plays, and replacing the time-honored "Christmas Vacation" with the bland generality "Winter Vacation". "Season's Greetings" is forcibly replacing "Merry Christmas" on the lips of their teachers. First summer vacation, then recess, then Halloween, and now Christmas?!? Virtually everything I looked forward to when I was a child! Is there anything left for you to steal from our children, Mr. PC?
Not even Cindy Lou Who can warm the heart of this icy grinch. He doesn't care that there is a deeper meaning to Christmas. Unlike Dr. Seuss' Grinch, who wanted to steal the superficial trappings of Christmas, but had a change of heart when he realized it had a deeper meaning--the real-life PC Grinch knows all about the real meaning and is trying to completely obliterate it from the public mind, while leaving intact all those superficial trappings so his cousins the Corporate Grinch and the Government Grinch can continue to feed off all the clueless Who's in Whocaresville. Who needs roast beast when you can feast on baked sheep?
Baaahaaaahaaaaa,
Elmo
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